Tsonga Advances and Blake is Defeated at Moselle Open in France
September 19, 2012 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg
Top-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga began his bid to retain the Moselle Open title, beating fellow Frenchman Clement Reix, a wild card entry, 6-3, 6-3 in 80 minutes to improve to a 42-17 match record on the season. The 27-year-old Tsonga has now reached 11 tour-level quarterfinals or better in 2012.
Fourth-seeded German Florian Mayer defeated American James Blake 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 50 minutes. It was Mayer’s first win in four meetings over the former world number four-ranked Blake. Mayer saved six of seven break points and withstood 12 aces from Blake’s racquet to reach his third tour-level quarterfinal of the year.
Fifth-seeded Italian Andreas Seppi improved to 3-0 lifetime against Ivan Dodig of Croatia with a 6-7(7), 6-3, 6-4 first-round win in two hours and 25 minutes. German lucky loser Michael Berrer advanced after Jan Hajek retired due to a right wrist injury after 57 minutes of play. Berrer was leading 6-4, 2-0. He goes onto face American Jesse Levine, a 6-3, 6-2 winner over Germany’s Davis Cup hero Cedrik-Marcel Stebe in just 66 minutes.
